You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
Psalms 139:13-16
The angels gained a champion for the underdog and warrior for the imperfect on February 8, 2021, when John F. Gilbert, 83, of Laramie ascended beyond his physical body.
John was Born on February 4, 1938 in Pierre South Dakota, to the late Willis and Eleanor (Baker) Gilbert. He was the oldest of six boys and two girls. Rumored to have been a twin in the womb, he lived his life as if he bore the responsibility of projecting his life through not only his heart, but also through the heart of his twin.
John lived in South Dakota until the age of 15 when his family moved to Wheat Ridge, Colorado in the summer of 1953. Always an amazing athlete, John set state records while in high school for the low and high hurdles; records that he held through the late 1980s when his name was announced as the continued record holder during his nephew’s track meet. His amazing tenacity was highlighted when he continued on to win a race even after a competitor’s misstep sliced open his foot.
After high school, John joined the Coast Guard. He gained many skills through his service, but his most well known and beloved by his children were those learned while serving as a cook. The secret to his “crispy” bacon was burning it to a crisp to ensure all possible germs had been destroyed.
John was always a teacher – in life and as a profession. While in high school he earned his Eagle Scout and helped others to earn theirs while serving as a counselor at Camp Tahosa in Colorado. Included in those he assisted are his little brothers who all but one also achieved their Eagle Scout ranks, too. His brother Bob fondly remembers his big brother’s ability to guide a canoe on their nightly canoe trips out on the lake during summer camp.
John met his first love while studying speech and drama at Colorado State College (now the University of Northern Colorado). While participating in the summer theater program, he walked into the room to see the late Judith Decker working on a set and told his buddy that was the girl he was going to marry. He made good on his word three months later when they married on September 10, 1960.
John was the father of Cindy Olson and her husband David of Easton, Massachusetts, Michael Gilbert and his wife Denise of Boulder, Colorado, and Christine Stickley and her husband Dana of Laramie, Wyoming. He was the very proud grandfather of Kris, Caleb, Nathan, Corbin, Graham, Abby and Chance.
He was a talented and popular junior and high school mathematics teacher in Oregon, Colorado, and Nebraska, a high school principal, and superintendent of schools. John’s big heart often led him to the underdogs and he served much of his life as a mentor and advocate for his students, at risk youth, and those suffering with addictions. He had an uncanny ability to help others discover their abilities and worth.
John wore many hats in his professional life from selling magazine subscriptions to teachers and librarians with his parents’ business as a youth, to teacher, to insurance agent, to buying and selling coins, to mediator, to holistic health coach, to marketing and advocating biofeedback and neurotherapy equipment, to raising buffalo, emu, and elk. He advocated for and helped many holistic professionals succeed in their fields.
Although John towered at 6’2”, his brilliant mind was his most memorable attribute. He seemed to thrive the most when he was learning or sharing his knowledge. He had the most beautiful tenor singing voice and wowed when he shared it. His Ave Maria still rings throughout St. John’s in Denver from his Christmas Eve renditions shared with the congregation and broadcast on local stations.
John met his second love, Charlene Mullen, while attending a holistic conference in Jacksonville, FL in November 2001. He moved to Michigan to be closer to her in 2002 and they married in September 2004. They decided to leave the snow behind and moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 2005. Always an animal lover, they raised goats, boarded a horse, and loved their dog Majik. John enjoyed building and tending to fires utilized in sweats in their sweat lodge.
John was blessed to live the last stage of his life closer to family when he and his wife moved to Laramie in the fall of 2019. Of the many blessings he bestowed, some of the most beloved are his shrewd card playing skills shared with his kids and grandkids. Through the many recent card games, his grandchildren bore witness to his big smile and hearty laughter. His smile, generous heart, and compassion for all he met will be sorely missed.
I saw that you were perfect, and I loved you. Then I saw that you were imperfect, and I loved you even more. ~Angelita Lim
God bless John for the good works he did on Earth. He was a spiritual mentor to many and will be missed. Peace and Love to John. My deepest condolences to his family.
Just today I learned of John's passing. What a blessing it was to have him as a spiritual teacher and mentor for so many years. He made a difference in my life and in the lives of so many. Peace and Blessings to you John!
John has been a wonderful inspiration to many. Thank you, John for your contributions and impact on the world.
Some of my earliest memories of my older brother John were when we lived in Brookings, South Dakota. When he was about twelve years old and I was seven, John was getting ready to go fishing in a pond adjacent to the golf course a couple of miles on the other side of town. My younger brother Jim and I talked him and mother into letting us go with him. We each had a pole with a fishing line on it, but no reel. When we got to the fishing hole, we put a bobber and a worm on the line and started fishing. It was the first fishing expedition Jim and I had ever been on, and we caught what we were told were sunfish and carp, and all were returned to the pond on the instructions of our fishing guide - John. We ate our lunch, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and headed home. The route that John led us on just happened to go through the college campus, and led us to the college creamery. John had some change mother had given him and we each had an incredible ice cream cone to go with a wonderful memory. When John and Charlene were living in North Carolina, Keith and I made two trips to visit them. We both feel fortunate to have had that special time with John and time to get to know Charlene. The history of the sweat lodge in the back yard was fascinating and Char shared many of the stories dealing with the history and experiences emanating from the fire and sweat from that lodge. We'd spend long evenings laughing over memories from our childhood. The stories and jokes constantly flowed and John had that incredible smile and laugh that are etched in my memory to never be forgotten.
John was a wonderful friend, mentor, and teacher, as well as the best boss I've ever had. His heart was bigger than his whole body, and he gave of himself tirelessly to support people and causes that were important to him. What is remembered, lives --- and John will live on for many years in the hearts and memories of all who knew him. My deepest condolences to Char and his family, friends, and colleagues.
John was an extraordinary person -- a teacher and mentor to whom I owe many of the insights that helped me in my writing career and my life. My heartfelt condolences to his family and to everyone who knew him.
John was so helpful to our Biofeedback community. He would help out wherever he could and for that we will always be grateful. Many times we would contact John with a question or concern and he would always come up with a solution or investigate and get back to us with information. When a practitioner got into a troublesome spot, John would come to their aid, spending much time. On a personal note, John could be quite humorous, he was learned on many topics, and he loved his family so much. His quest for knowledge was constant. Thank you, John Gilbert, for your service to our community, you will always be remembered. Priscilla Grant and Linda Hill, Bioenergetics4u, Biofeedback Instructors.
John was a person who always had extreme confidence. From the time we first met John and Charlene when we were selling our house and through out all the years we knew them regardless of the situation, John always had shown this confidence. After reading all the things John had done in his life, it was easy to understand why he had this confidence. John was always fun to do work for as he always had ideas that could make things better. Charlene was always very proud and supportive of John which made for a nice marriage. Deb and I were very sorry to learn of John's passing . We were saddened when we found out they had moved away but we realized that as we get older we want to be around family members. Our sincere condolences to the whole family.
John use to work with and was friends with my late Step father Lee Prosser. I met John after Lee's death in 2011. Not long after that I started working for John for a while. Every time I talked with him he always asked about my oldest son Johnathan who he had befriended before Lee died. He was there while I was pregnant with my youngest son Zackery, always giving advice. There was NEVER a time when he wasn't saying well I need to go Charlene is fixing dinner or Charlene has made me tea when he wasn't feeling well. I felt as if I already knew Charlene before I ever had the chance to meet her. John was ALWAYS talking about Charlene and you could hear in his voice how much he loved her! He would once in awhile talk about his children and grandchildren, he loved them and was proud of them. John was more than a friend, over the years he and Charlene became part of OUR family and he will be missed! But I hope he takes comfort in knowing that WE will still be here for Charlene anytime day or night! To Charlene, just remember that John loved you larger than life and love NEVER truly dies, it remains in our hearts through our memories!
Dear Charlene and Family: We were so sorry to hear about John's passing. He was such a bright and shining soul and we truly appreciated getting to know him here at the Eppson Center through our Meals and Transportation programs. His smile will be greatly missed! It was wonderful to read about his life and all of his adventures! May your warm memories comfort you during this difficult time. Take care! Tammy and the Eppson Center Staff
John was a mentor, friend, and fellow spiritual traveler on the path. He freely shared his love and knowledge and cared deeply about healing and natural therapies. He will be greatly missed. I am privileged to have know him... deepest condolences to my dear friend Charlene - his love and confidante - who took care of his life so that John could take care of others. Thank you...
Dear John, Thanks so much for all the living, learning, and loving that you did while with us. I remember our first meeting for lunch with a couple of others while I was in Charlotte, NC. We shared a meal and talked about the work you did with assisting those of us in the complementary healing professions. We grew to trust, care and collaborate "together" in that work. I consider it an honor to be able to continue assisting in the continuation of what you began. Dear Char, It has been a pleasure coming to know you and hear the stories of the love and care you and John had for each other. John was so blessed to partner with you in life and to have you as his caregiver during some of his most difficult times. In Friendship, Randall
John was a guiding light for our Academy for many years. His wise advice kept us knowledgeable and “safe” in navigating the world of integrative health and healing. He seemed to have all the time in the world when he called to focus on how we were doing personally and professionally and what we needed to know. In his gentle but gallant ways, he expanded the field of biofeedback to make it a respectful and valuable profession. We are grateful for his years of service. We send love and blessings to his family members and many friends. Brenda Judah & Sharron Oyer Integrity Biofeedback Inc. and Academy
I remember John from the wonderful sweat lodges in Black Mountain. I learned and remembered so much from being around the fire that was tended with such reverence. One conversation that stuck with me was John telling me his late wife was always in his head, and that spirit carries personality. Apparently she was a jokester and kept him in line. I miss him and hope Char will move back to Asheville NC I love you Char and send many Blessing to John's Family
I was invited to attend the sweat lodges at the home of John and Char in Black Mountain, NC. I saw John as being the strong, tall, supportive soul behind Char. After the sweat we would all gather in their kitchen for food and fellowship. John would always have a smile and kind welcoming words. I valued his wisdom and appreciated him for sharing it with me. These sweet lodges were a huge part of my growth. Gratitude for the space that he held for me and my growth.
John Gilbert was such a kind and gentle soul. I have only met a few men in my life that were so true to those qualities. John and Char hired me to work on their home and entrusted me to bring their vision to life. Throughout that process John, as my client, also became my friend and adviser. He became someone I looked up to and admired. I began going to sweats with Char and John and learned so much about life but mostly I learned about myself. John was such an influential person and such a strong personality. I am grateful that I was able to know John and very grateful for his impact on my life.
John was one of the most caring people I knew. He always wanted to help even though there were only so many hours in the day. He kept telling me that he was going to set up a really good traditional naturopathic college and that I would be one of the main instructors but I sort of knew it would never happen. He simply had too many things on his plate, to add that one one top. We would have hour long discussions about how bad the world had become and how awful the government was as it no longer represents the will of the people. I kept hoping that one day I would meet him in person, but I guess that will have to wait until I meet him upstairs and I am in no hurry to do that. At almost 70, I still have a full time practice but I will miss our long and dear phone calls. Since I know he is reading all of these,from upstairs, Thank you very much for all your help over the past decades. Best wishes David Getoff
What a fun and kind soul! I love reading about his active, colorful life! I remember your dad as the high school principal, when you all lived across the street on Ash. He was too tall for that little house! Now I see why! What a great life he had. He gave, and he received so much! Bless you all!
For the past month, I had frequent thoughts of calling John to see how he was, as I had a feeling he was near the end of this life and wish I had. He was my mentor in many ways, from Spirituality to the regulations of Biofeedback, and I am grateful to have had him coach me through many difficult periods of life. I will never forget the many profound conversations we had about spirituality, his insights were always driven by compassion. His service to our Biofeedback industry helped it thrive, and he always helped practitioners in need. If ever there was a guardian of our profession and the link to spiritual health, it was John. He will be missed, but never forgotten.
He appeared in my life suddenly - gave much and left quietly. ' My sincere condolences
Cindy this is a beautiful testament to you dad. Treasure all the memories you have of him, for he will be in your heart forever.
A wonderful tribute. My sincere condolences.